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ISLAMABAD, August 19: Pakistan on Wednesday summoned US Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires Natalie Baker and lodged a strong demarche over remarks by top American diplomat in India, Sergio Gor, who described the disputed territory as an \u201cimportant part of India\u201d during his visit to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), according to the Foreign Office.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Foreign Office said Pakistan \u201cstrongly condemned and categorically rejected\u201d the characterization, stressing that Jammu and Kashmir remains an internationally recognized disputed territory whose final disposition is to be determined in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.<\/p>\n The diplomatic protest came after Gor, during his first visit to Srinagar, said Jammu and Kashmir was \u201can important part of India,\u201d a formulation Islamabad said was factually incorrect and inconsistent with the territory\u2019s internationally recognized disputed status.<\/p>\n The development comes at a sensitive time for India-Pakistan relations, with the Kashmir dispute remaining at the center of decades of conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.<\/p>\n Pakistan maintains that the dispute must be resolved in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, while India claims Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of the country.<\/p>\n According to the Foreign Office, US Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires Natalie Baker was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, where Islamabad lodged a formal demarche over Gor\u2019s remarks.<\/p>\n Pakistan \u201ccategorically rejected\u201d the description of Jammu and Kashmir as a \u201cpart of India,\u201d saying the statement disregarded the territory\u2019s disputed status.<\/p>\n The Foreign Office said it was underscored that Jammu and Kashmir is an \u201cinternationally recognised disputed territory, awaiting final disposition in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.\u201d<\/p>\n Islamabad also objected to the remarks on the grounds that they departed from the United States\u2019 established position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.<\/p>\n The Foreign Office said Gor\u2019s statement \u201cnegated the long-standing and well-documented position of the United States on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute.\u201d<\/p>\n Pakistan also said the remarks ran contrary to Washington\u2019s stated commitment to the \u201csupremacy of international law and the UN Charter.\u201d<\/p>\n The ministry urged the US side to ensure that its public statements remain consistent with the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir.<\/p>\n During the demarche, Pakistan also highlighted President Donald Trump\u2019s previous offer to mediate between India and Pakistan over the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.<\/p>\n The Foreign Office said Islamabad appreciated Trump\u2019s offer to mediate following Marka-e-Haq, while urging Washington to ensure that its public statements on the dispute remain consistent with Jammu and Kashmir\u2019s disputed status.<\/p>\n Pakistan has repeatedly welcomed international efforts aimed at facilitating a peaceful resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, provided they are consistent with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nPakistan summons US diplomat over Kashmir remarks<\/strong><\/h2>\n